“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23 (KJV)
“22 But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. Here there is no conflict with the law.” Galatians 5:22-23 (NLT)
“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2 (KJV)
I. LESSON INTRODUCTION:
For about 50 years Hollywood has been teaching us a myth that if I find the right person, I'll live happily ever after. However, the fact is, even the best of relationships go through ups and downs. We are never always happy in any of our earthly relationships. We have misunderstandings, we argue, sometimes we're inconsiderate, and sometimes things just don't go right.
Whenever we look for relationships, whether it's in a marriage or friendships, we typically say, “I just want to be happy.” While there's nothing wrong with that, we're going to talk about something that exceeds happiness. What we need in our relationships is not just happiness; what we need is joy.
Nowhere in the Bible does God advise us to pursue happiness. The word “happiness” is only used 22 times in the Bible (NT – 6X, OT – 16X), and it NEVER means what we have been conditioned to think of today! In the Bible, “happy” doesn’t mean, “having everything go my way.” It means, “blessed or favored by God.”
I. DEFINITION OF JOY:
A. One of the most misunderstood aspects of the fruit of the Spirit is “Joy”.
B. A proper definition of biblical joy will help us to better understand the importance of manifesting it in our lives.
1. To a certain extent, you can see that each aspect of the fruit of the Spirit is dependent upon the one listed directly before it.
2. So, it is with joy. If you do not have a foundation of love, you will never experience real joy.
3. And without real joy it will be almost impossible to manifest the remaining aspects of the fruit of the Spirit.
C. The word joy, in Galatians 5:22 comes from the Greek word “Chara” which means ‘Cheerfulness: a calm delight.’
D. When you think of the idea of ‘joy’, what do you usually think of?
1. Laughter?
2. A stress-free life?
3. An emotional high?
4. Good times?
E. Actually, these do not define joy at all.
1. In fact, they probably define happiness better than they do joy.
2. We make the mistake of thinking that if we are happy then we have joy.
3. This is not the case at all. The person who has joy is always happy: but the person who is happy does not necessarily always have joy.
4. William Lyon Phelps wrote: “If happiness truly consisted in physical ease and freedom from care, then the happiest individual would not be either man or woman, it would be, I think, an American cow.”
II. The Contrast between Joy and Happiness
A. In contrast to happiness, the Bible uses the words JOY, JOYFUL, or REJOICE over 160 times. And it teaches us that joy only comes from the Spirit of God living within us!
B. This is how it works:
1. Happiness is external while Joy is internal.
2. Happiness is temporary while Joy is permanent.
3. Happiness is based on chance while Joy is based on choice.
4. Happiness is based on circumstances while Joy is based on Christ.
III. What Joy Is
A. Joy is an attitude!
1. Matthew 13:44: “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath and buyeth that field.” (KJV)
2. When this man discovered the treasure in the field, he sold all that he had.
3. What he did is just as important as how he did it.
4. “In his joy”, or, with an attitude of calm delight.
5. It is contradictory to profess to have the Holy Ghost and not manifest an attitude of joy.
6. When joy is lost our other attitudes are affected.
7. When you lose your attitude of joy, life becomes miserable and unbearable.
8. It is only through the restoration of joy that things are put back into balance.
9. We make the choice every day whether we will express an attitude of Joy or not. You and you alone, are in charge of your attitude.
B. Joy is internal, not external.
1. Romans 15:13: “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.” (KJV)
2. A person has to make the conscious choice to manifest joy in their life.
3. Calmness on the outside does not always portray calmness on the inside.
4. Real joy begins in the heart and spirit and manifests itself outwardly.
C. Joy is the assurance that we are acceptable to God.
1. One of the greatest needs we have in life is the need to be accepted.
2. More importantly, we have a need of being accepted by God.
3. Because of past sins or present weakness and flaws, many people struggle with feeling that they are unacceptable to God.
4. Referring to Psalm 51, again David realized the value of feeling and being accepted by God. Psalm 51:11: “Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy holy spirit from me.” (KJV)
5. Notice that he immediately asks for a restoration of the joy of salvation.
6. This joy of salvation lets me know that my sins have been forgiven and that God has accepted me.
7. There is a calm delight, and not a struggle in my spirit when I have that assurance.
III Joy In Adverse Circumstances
A. Joy is not situational.
1. To some folks, joy is turned on and off with the prevailing circumstances in their life.
2. Philippians 4:4 states: “Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.” (KJV)
3. The Living Bible translates it this way, “Always be full of joy in the Lord; I say it again, rejoice!”
B. The Word instructs us to be joyful when the problems come.
1. James 1:2-4, “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” (KJV)
a) There are a lot of things the Lord asks of us and most of them are not too difficult.
b) But the writer says that when the problem comes, we should receive it with joy because it means that God is at work in our lives.
c) Knowing that the problem is working patience in us for our perfecting should increase our joy.
2. I Peter 4:12-13 “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.” (KJV)
a) When it comes to tests and trials, you are not unique.
b) Actually, what is happening is that we are being made a partaker of the suffering of Jesus Christ.
c) And if we endure, as He did, His glory will be revealed in us and our joy will be multiplied.
d) In order for our joy to be multiplied there must be joy to begin with.
e) If we have no joy, then the trials are unbearable, and the reward is non-existent. 1 Peter 1:7-9 explains to us the great value of our trials and the ultimate reward of enduring them with joy. “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.” (KJV)
IV Enemies of Joy in Our Relationships
Almost anytime you're having problems in a relationship it will be one or more of these three things. They always kill the joy in relationships.
1. Selfishness - selfishness says, “I want what I want.”
James 4:1-2 (TEV) Where do all the fights and quarrels among you come from? They come from your desires for pleasure, which are constantly fighting within you. You want things, but you cannot have them, so you are ready to kill; you strongly desire things, but you cannot get them, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have what you want because you do not ask God for it.
The root problem of relational difficulties is a power struggle between two selfish, insecure people. For a lot of us, to solve the relational problems we're in right now, the simple solution is to grow up and stop being so self-centred.
“For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and every kind of evil” - James 3:16 (NLT).
In other words, you can't be joyful and jealous at the same time. Selfishness undermines relationships. Get the focus off yourself!
2. Resentment - resentment says, “I won’t forgive you.”
We hurt each other in relationships, sometimes intentionally and sometimes unintentionally – it’s a fact of life. What you do with that hurt makes a difference whether you're joyful or you're miserable. Nothing destroys a relationship faster than resentment.
“Watch out that no bitterness takes root among you, for as it springs up it causes deep trouble, hurting many in their spiritual lives” - Hebrews 12:15 (TLB).
Resentment eats up emotional energy because you spend all your time resenting the fact that someone hurt you. “The fool who provokes his family to anger and resentment will finally have nothing worthwhile left” - Proverbs 11:29 (TLB). In other words, if you refuse to forgive, you're only hurting yourself. Resentment steals joy
3. Fear- fear says, “I don’t trust you anymore.”
When fear builds up in your life, the joy goes out of your relationships. Proverbs 12:25 states, “Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, But a good word makes it glad” - (NKJV).
Fear causes us to build walls between us instead of bridges. When you're full of fear there is no emotional intimacy, and when there is no emotional intimacy there is no joy. “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love” - 1 John 4:18 (NKJV).
Fearful people cannot give love and cannot receive love because they're always afraid of being hurt again. Fear does three things to relationships:
1. Fear makes us defensive. We won't admit it when we are wrong.
2. Fear makes me distant. I won’t share my real feelings.
3. Fear makes me demanding. I must always be in control.
These are the three basic feelings that interfere with our relationship with God as well! Selfishness, resentment, and fear. Most people try to do something to bring “happiness” into a troubled relationship, but that’s only a temporary solution! What you need is JOY! And that only comes from God’s Spirit! It is that calm delight that assures you that God is at work and that there is a great reward for enduring with joy.
V How is it possible to always be Joyful?”
“Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice” – Philippians 4:4.
How is it possible to always be joyful? When Paul wrote this letter he was in prison. He was close to his execution while he was writing to the Philippian church which is called the book on joy. Nineteen times in the book of Philippians he used the word “joy” or “rejoice.” If you're depressed, go home tonight and read through the book of Philippians. Note where the words “joy” or “rejoice” are used. Paul wasn’t counting on his circumstances; he was counting on the Holy Ghost to give Him joy!
VI Jesus Christ, Our Example in Joy
A. The greatest lessons in life are learned from good examples.
B. When it comes to joy in all things, there is no better example than Jesus Christ.
Hebrews 12:2, “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God …” (KJV)
C. In all that we go through and endure we have yet to face what Jesus did.The writer of Hebrews, in one short verse, speaks volumes about the character and understanding of Jesus Christ.
1. While suffering the shame and ridicule of an unjust crucifixion, He endured, as a man with good character.
2. The reason why He endured the shame, with the character that He did, is given in the same verse: “… for the joy which was set before Him.”
3. This is the same joy that is manifested in the fruit of the Spirit.
4. It is that calm delight, even when everything is going wrong.
5. It is that calm delight that comes from within and is not predicated on external circumstances.